Reactive firearm target

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a reactive firearm target that can be used with standard target stands, and has a body that is displaced downwardly upon a hit to either of the two fatal triangles.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a firearm target that reacts to a hit in either the heart portion or head portion by descending after the successful hit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This present invention is constructed in order to provide an economic solution to realistically shooting until the threat is eliminated. Static targets allow for shooters to shoot a pre-determined number of rounds and essentially score where the hits were. The problem with shooting a pre-determined number of rounds at a target is that it creates a memory and eventually can be a fatal mistake in a life threatening event where the defender shoots a pre-determined number of rounds, not hitting the threat with significant placement, and then lowering their firearm and realizing too late, that the threat has not been eliminated, but rather has overtaken the defender and therefore it's too late for continued response, placing the defender in peril.

The present invention, or reactive firearm target will provide realistic shooting practice for law enforcement officers, military personnel, and civilians who wish to learn defensive shooting techniques for personal protection purposes.

Multiple embodiments of the system are disclosed herein. It will be understood that other objects and purposes of the invention, and variations thereof, will be apparent upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is a reactive firearm target 10, comprising: a frame 20, said frame 20 comprising a stand 210, a corner support 190 having a corner support opening 220 that receives the top of the stand 210, said corner support 190 also having a corner support opening 230 that receives the cross support 150 therein to position the cross support 150 in a substantially horizontal position;

a body 30 having a chamber 50, a head portion 70 and a heart portion 80 downwardly from said head portion 70; an inflated balloon 160 disposed in the chamber 50 adjacent to at least one of either said head portion 70 or said heart portion 80; and a displacement means 110 that allows the body 30 to descend after a hit to the balloon 160 in either the chamber 50 of the heart portion 80 or head portion 70.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial of an embodiment of the present invention showing two reactive targets; FIG. 1-A shows the body in a higher position compared to the body in FIG. 1-B.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial of an embodiment of a member of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is another pictorial view of a member and balloon disposed in the head portion of the member;

FIG. 4 is a another pictorial view of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a pictorial view of a corner support;

FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of the displacement means 110 and the cross support; and

FIG. 7 is a pictorial view of another embodiment of the present invention on a slide track that indoor shooting ranges typically have.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION REFERENCE NUMERALS LIST

-   10 reactive target -   20 frame -   30 body -   40 double layered back -   50 chamber -   60 balloon -   70 head portion -   80 heart portion -   90 ocular fatal triangle -   100 thoracic fatal triangle -   110 displacement means -   120 balloon tab -   130 string -   140 non-balloon tab -   150 cross support -   170 chest plate -   180 arms -   190 corner supports -   200 indicia -   210 stand -   220 stand opening -   230 cross support opening -   240 stand sliding channel -   250 balloon or string aperture -   260 support string -   270 hook -   280 drop string -   290 ground stand -   300 hook

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience and reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “rightwardly,” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the system and designated parts. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives, and similar words. Also, “connected to,” “secured to,” or similar language includes the definitions “indirectly connected to,” “directly connected to,” “indirectly secured to,” and “directly secured to.”

The target 30 may be supported by one or two balloons 160 placed inside at the anatomically correct location for the heart portion 80 or inside the head portion 70 or in both locations 80, 70. Because it has been designed for either or both support locations, the target can be set up to require an “either/or” shot placement.

When setting the target 10, the string 130 attached to the balloon holder tab or balloon and string tab 120 can be attached to the cross support 150 or hook 270 of the frame 20 or to another balloon 60 and strung over the support 150 or hook 270 to hold the target 10 in position until a “hit” is placed on either balloon 60.

The balloon 60 placement in the head portion 70 is simple; it is placed inside the head portion 70. The balloon 60 inside the heart portion 80 is placed by perforations which show the anatomically correct location for the heart.

The perforations show two fatal triangles 90, 100. The fatal triangle for the thoracic cavity 100, which houses the heart, lungs, and spinal cord, when hit, disables the threat quickly. The fatal triangle for the ocular cavity 90 provides the location in which a projectile will penetrate the cranium with little resistance.

Design Features that make this present invention unique:

The ease of set up due to the glued seam of the body 30, which comprises both the head portion 70 and the heart portion 80, allows it to pack flat and pop open.

The ability to place two balloons 60 in the target for the either/or shot placement

The ability to place additional features to the target, such as the chest plate 170 which makes the target thicker in presentation, arms 180 for attaching weapons and inert objects, as well as placing hats, wigs, and garments of significant weight—i.e. Knit Sweaters, Suit Coats and T-Shirts. The arms 180 can be positioned in different positions such as down, up, out, and bent.

The present invention body may include accessories such as a Gun, Cell Phone, and Knife that attaches to the ends of the arms.

The corner supports 190 for the cross piece or cross support 150, which allows for ease of setting and resetting the body 30.

In a further embodiment, stickers and indicia 200 can be placed on the face or head portion 70 of the target 10 to provide more realism and distraction to the practicing shooter. This sticker 200 may be the same size as the face of the head portion 70 of the target 10 and will cover previous hits from multiple shooters running through the same course of fire. These 70 stickers will have different artwork depicting different characters.

The economics of the reactive firearm targets 10 are also novel. The simplicity of the present invention target 10 keeps the cost well below that of other reactive targets that are on the market. It also utilizes the target stands 210 that many individuals and agencies use. The body 30 has a resiliency that allows for several bullet holes before needing to replace it with a new one.

FIG. 1 illustrates two reactive firearm targets 10. A frame 20 is provided, having a stand 210 and a cross support 150. The body 30 may be secured under the cross support 150 by a string 130, best seen in FIG. 6.

FIG. 1 also illustrates the ocular fatal triangle 90 on the head portion 70, and the thoracic fatal triangle on the heart portion 80. FIG. 1-A shows body 30 in a higher position relative to the body 30 in FIG. 1B.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of a body 30, which defines a chamber 50 therein. A balloon 160 may be placed in the chamber 50. FIG. 2 also illustrates the back of the body 30 having double layered back 40 to increase rigidity.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a balloon 60 removably disposed in the chamber 50 in the head portion 70. A displacement means 110 may be connected to the balloon 60 to displace the body 30 after a successful hit. In one embodiment the displacement means 110 may be a balloon and string tab 120 having a cut-out or small opening called a balloon or string aperture 250, that the balloon 60 or support string 260 would be removably disposed there through, and secured by a force fit. A support string 260 can be connected to the balloon and string tab 120 and then to either another balloon and string tab 120 or a non-balloon tab 140, or may be connected to the body 30.

FIG. 4 illustrates a chest plate 170 that may be added to the body 30 where the chest would be. The chest plate 170 adds thickness to the body 30. Arms 180 may also be attached to the body 30. The arms 180 may be moveable at the shoulders and elbows. For example the arms 180 can be positioned above the head as if a police officer instructed someone to “raise your hands above your head. The arms 180 can also be positioned as if holding or firing a pistol, rifle, knife, or other position.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the corner support 190 that are removably displaced on the top of the stand 210 by placing on top and the stand 210 is received by the stand opening 220, then the cross support 150 is placed in the cross support opening 230 to lie substantially horizontal.

FIG. 6 illustrates the cross member 150 disposed in the corner supports 190 as the corner supports 190 are disposed on the top of the stand 210.

The support string 260 may be disposed over the cross support 150 or a hook 270 as seen in FIG. 7, as the balloon and string tab 120 is attached to both the balloon 60 and the string 130, and then the support string 260 is also attached to either another balloon and string tab 120 if connected to another balloon 60, or to a non balloon tab 140 if the non balloon tab 140 is connected to something other than a balloon 160, such as the body 30. Then, when the balloon 60 is hit, it deflates, which causes the balloon 60 to no longer be in contact with the inside of the body 30, thus allowing the support string 260 to displace and causing the body 30 to displace downwardly due to gravity. So long as the frictional force of the balloon 60 against the inside of the body plus the frictional force of the support string 260 against a cross support 150 or hook 270, plus the frictional force of the body 30 on the frame 20, is greater than the force of gravity on the body 30, the body 30 will stay in place.

If, once a balloon 60 deflates, the frictional force of the balloon 60 against the inside of the body 30 plus the frictional force of the string 260 against the cross support 150 or hook 270, plus the frictional force of the body 30 on the frame 20 is less than the force of gravity on the body 30, then the body 30 may drop downwardly.

The present invention 10 may be made to drop after one, or both balloons are hit.

Another embodiment allows the body 30 to stop above the ground after the first successful shot. This embodiment may have one support string 260 attached to the balloon 60 in the chamber 50 in the head portion 70, and a second support string 260 attached to the balloon 60 in the chamber 50 in the heart portion 80. When one balloon 60 is hit and deflates, then the body 30 would fall until it encounters the tautness of the other support string 260 connected to the other balloon 60 and disposed over the cross support 150. Then after this balloon 60 is hit, the body 30 would slide to the ground. Or an elastic drop string 280 may used to make the body 30 bob up and down before hitting the ground. In another embodiment the drop string 280 may be inelastic.

FIG. 6 illustrates that a portion of the balloon 160 can be pulled through the balloon tab 120 via a balloon or string aperture 250 which is illustrated in FIG. 3. The balloon or string aperture 250 may be a scissors cut in the balloon tab 120, or a small hole in the balloon tab 120.

In one embodiment the body 30 is configured to slidably connect to the stand 210, so that the body 30 can slide down, rather than free fall by means of a stand sliding channel 240, as best seen in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of the present embodiment for use with a target stand or support for connection to a slide track at an indoor shooting range.

A support string 260 may be connected to a balloon tab 120 or two balloon tabs 120 and may be slidably or removably connected to a hook 270. A drop string 280 may be connected to a portion of the body 30 at the frame 20 to prevent the body 30 from falling to the ground.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

I claim:
 1. A reactive firearm target (10), comprising: a frame, said frame comprising a stand (210), a corner support (190) having a corner support opening (220) that receives the top of the stand (210), said corner support (190) also having a corner support opening (230) that receives the cross support (150) therein to position the cross support (150) in a substantially horizontal position; a body (30) having a chamber (50), a head portion (70) and a heart portion (80) downwardly from said head portion (70); an inflated balloon (160) disposed in the chamber (50) adjacent to at least one of either said head portion (70) or said heart portion (80); and a displacement means (110) that allows the body (30) to descend after a hit to the balloon (160) in either the chamber (50) of the heart portion (80) or head portion (70). 